Catalyze 2026: Alison Barlow (St. Petersburg Innovation District)

We’re asking thought leaders, business people and creatives to talk about the upcoming new year and give us catalyzing ideas for making St. Pete a better place to live. What should our city look like? What are their hopes, their plans, their problem-solving ideas? This is Catalyze 2026.

CEO Alison Barlow is preparing to take steps to ensure the St. Petersburg Innovation District’s future. 

The organization, which was formed as a public-private partnership in 2016, was created to encourage job growth, economic development and learning, and inspiration in the community through collaboration and innovation. 

The district encompasses approximately 560 acres south of downtown St. Petersburg, and includes Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital, spARK Labs by ARK Invest (ARK Innovation Center) and the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus.  

Over 50 regional and national institutions within the life and marine science, technology, entrepreneurship and education sectors are members of the organization. Many are located in the district’s boundaries. These institutions are encouraged to support growth in the community by hiring local talent and providing internships, among other opportunities.  

“Our goal for next year is to put our district master plan in place and to implement ideas that have been created through the master plan process,” Barlow explained. 

The plan, which has been in development since 2024, was created to explore opportunities for the area including partnerships, infrastructure improvements, potential land use changes and economic development strategies, according to the District’s website. It will be published in January.

“We have a number of recommendations, and some are relatively easy to accomplish, while others are incredibly complex,” she said. “Our team has prioritized them and now we’ll start working through the ones that are easy to accomplish such as refreshing the banners and some of the signage in the district.” 

The District team will also prepare for longer-term goals such as updating zoning codes. Barlow explained that the organization is interested in expanding shared amenities such as daycare, parking and office space within district boundaries and its surrounding area. Additionally, the team is exploring additional housing options for local employees. 

An open house is scheduled Jan. 14 to present the plan to residents, members and stakeholders. 

Barlow, who became the District’s inaugural executive director in 2017, grew up in St. Petersburg. However, she spent nearly two decades working as a business and technology consultant in Washington D.C. 

This was due to a lack of science and technology job opportunities in the St. Pete area at the time, Barlow explained.  

The District frequently partners with educational institutions, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) program providers and employers that support local youth by introducing them to career opportunities within these sectors. 

“I think a brighter future for St. Pete is most definitely when our young people are able to stay and have really meaningful careers,” she said. “I think that there are jobs that will happen by the time they graduate from high school that we can’t even imagine today. So, we want to expose them to the cool stuff and let them start to imagine a future career.”